Multi-body Dynamic Modeling of Multi-legged Robots
This book describes the development of an integrated approach for generating the path and gait of realistic hexapod robotic systems. It discusses in detail locomation with straight-ahead, crab and turning motion capabilities in varying terrains, like sloping surfaces, staircases, and various user-defined rough terrains. It also presents computer simulations and validation using Virtual Prototyping (VP) tools and real-world experiments.
Modern Construction Handbook
Tried and tested component details, examples focusing on sustainability and energy consumption, and an update on finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) introduced in the last edition set new standards for this handbook which serves as a foundational textbook in many architecture courses
Mobile and Wireless Communications Networks ; IFIP TC6 / WG6.8 Conference on Mobile and Wireless Communication Networks (MWCN 2004) October 25-27, 2004 Paris, France
Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs) has attracted great research interest in recent years. A Mobile Ad Hoc Network is a self-organizing multi-hop wireless network where all hosts (often called nodes) participate in the routing and data forwarding process. The dependence on nodes to relay data packets for others makes mobile ad hoc networks extremely susceptible to various malicious and selfish behaviors. This point is largely overlooked during the early stage of MANET research. Many works simply assume nodes are inherently cooperative and benign. However, experiences from the wired world manifest that the reverse is usually true; and many works [3] [10] [9] [8] [12] [19] have pointed out that the impact of malicious and selfish users must be carefully investigated. The goal of this research is to address the cooperation problem and related security issues in wireless ad hoc networks. As a rule of thumb, it is more desirable to include security mechanisms in the design phase rather than continually patching the system for security breaches. As pointed out in [2] [1], there can be both selfish and malicious nodes in a mobile ad hoc network. Selfish nodes are most concerned about their energy consumption and intentionally drop packets to save power. The purpose of malicious nodes, on the other hand, is to attack the network using various intrusive techniques. In general, nodes in an ad hoc network can exhibit Byzantine behaviors.
Innovative Tools and methods using BIM for an efficient renovation in buildings
This book describes a BIM-based toolkit that has been developed according to the latest research activities on building information modelling and semantic interoperability to optimize the building process. It highlights the impacts of using such new tools to fast renovation activities starting from the decision-making and design stages to the construction site management with the possibility to monitor occupants' and owners’ feedback during the realization process. In this process, a framework has been developed and implemented to allow stakeholders involved in a renovation project to efficiently compile, maintain, and add data about (i) building elements, (ii) building services systems, (iii) tenants, operators, and owners of the building, and (iv) current and predicted performance of the building from the various data sources available. The framework applies and specializes the existing practices in the Semantic Web, Linked Data, and ontology domain to the management of renovation projects. It has been designed to be open so that any system which implements the required functions and uses the specified conventions will be able to achieve semantic interoperability with other framework-compliant systems in the renovation domain. Finally, this book represents the validation process of the toolkit that has been held in three demo sites: a social housing building in Italy and two private residential buildings in Poland and Finland. The outcome shows that the toolkit facilitates the renovation process with relevant reductions of time, costs, and energy consumption and that the inhabitants can take advantage of the increase in building performances, quality, and comfort.
Fast, Efficient and Predictable Memory Accesses : Optimization Algorithms for Memory Architecture Aware Compilation
Fast, Efficient and Predictable Memory Accesses presents techniques for designing fast, energy-efficient and timing predictable memory systems. By using a careful combination of compiler optimizations and architectural improvements, we can achieve more than what would be feasible at one of the levels in isolation. The described optimization algorithms achieve the goals of high performance and low energy consumption. In addition to these benefits, the use of scratchpad memories significantly improves the timing predictability of the entire system, leading to tighter worst case execution time bounds (WCET). The WCET is a relevant design parameter for all timing critical systems. In addition, the book covers algorithms to exploit the power down modes of main memories in SDRAM technology, as well as the execute-in-place feature of Flash memories. The final chapter considers the impact of the register file, which is also part of the memory hierarchy.
Energy Demand Challenges in Europe : Implications for policy, planning and practice
This book examines the role of citizens in sustainable energy transitions across Europe. It explores energy problem framing, policy approaches and practical responses to the challenge of securing clean, affordable and sustainable energy for all citizens, focusing on households as the main unit of analysis. The book revolves around ten contributions that each summarise national trends, socio-material characteristics, and policy responses to contemporary energy issues affecting householders in different countries, and provides good practice examples for designing and implementing sustainable energy initiatives. Prominent concerns include reducing carbon emissions, energy poverty, sustainable consumption, governance, practices, innovations and sustainable lifestyles.
Cost-effective energy efficient building retrofitting : Materials, technologies, optimization and case studies
The building sector is responsible for high energy consumption and its global demand is expected to grow as each day there are approximately 200,000 new inhabitants on planet Earth. The majority of electric energy will continue to be generated from the combustion of fossil fuels releasing not only carbon dioxide, but also methane and nitrous oxide. Energy efficiency measures are therefore crucial to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the building sector. Energy efficient building retrofitting needs to not only be technically feasible, but also economically viable. New building materials and advanced technologies already exist, but the knowledge to integrate all active components is still scarce and far from being widespread among building industry stakeholders.
An Energy Analysis of Household Consumption : Changing Patterns of Direct and Indirect Use in India
The book presents a novel socio-economic approach to analysing the - ergy system and energy consumption in India from a household persp- tive. In doing so, it views households as the ultimate end-consumers and estimates and analyses the direct and indirect energy requirements of household consumption, both at an aggregate national level as well as at a disaggregate household level. In addition, the work incorporates two c- cial aspects often ignored by many energy studies that are characteristic of most developing countries, namely the importance of non-commercial sources of biomass energy in the energy systems of these countries, and the enormous diversity and inequity in the patterns of energy access and use across households with different lifestyles and levels of well being.
Advanced memory optimization techniques for low-power embedded processors
this book explores a collaborative approach by proposing novel memory hierarchies and software optimization techniques for the optimal utilization of these memory hierarchies. Linking memory architecture design with memory-architecture aware compilation results in fast, energy-efficient and timing predictable memory accesses.The evaluation of the optimization techniques using real-life benchmarks for a single processor system, a multiprocessor system-on-chip (SoC) and for a digital signal processor system, reports significant reductions in the energy consumption and performance improvement of these systems. The book presents a wide range of optimizations, progressively increasing in the complexity of analysis and of memory hierarchies. The final chapter covers optimization techniques for applications consisting of multiple processes found in most modern embedded devices.
Advanced groundwater remediation : Active and passive technologies
Increasing efforts were made towards containing and cleaning contaminated groundwater. A number of techniques can be used to achieve such goals, traditionally either by treating or isolating the soil in situ, or by removing it for washing or disposal. However, such technologies tend to be accompanied by high energy consumption, and can lead to new environmental problems. Therefore, more efficient and economical techniques are needed to remediate contaminated soil and groundwater.









